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She’s out to prove herself. He’s out to stop her. But when past betrayals ignite new flames, neither is ready for what comes next.

Paige

Stepping into the role of Assistant GM for the Detroit Serpents wasn’t supposed to feel like stepping onto enemy territory—but Ryker Kane makes sure I know I’m unwelcome.

The team’s captain has a reputation for being as icy as the rink, but I didn’t expect his anger to burn so hot.

The thing is, I’ve handled tough men before.

What I didn’t expect was to come face-to-face with my ex-fiancé’s brother.

Or for our past to unravel into something dangerously unprofessional.

Ryker

I don’t trust Paige Adams.

Her track record screams trouble, and her connection to my family is reason enough to push her out.

She’s got something to prove, but I’ve got more to lose.

Keeping her away from the team—and me—is the smartest play.

But there’s something about her—something maddening, tempting—that makes walking away feel impossible.

And when we’re forced to work together, keeping my distance is the hardest battle I’ve ever fought.


Cold Carnage is a standalone dark hockey romance featuring a driven heroine battling for respect, a brooding captain with a grudge, and the kind of tension that melts even the iciest hearts. It has a guaranteed HEA and no cliffhanger.

336 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 24, 2025

99 people are currently reading
261 people want to read

About the author

Heather C. Myers

124 books767 followers
Full disclosure: I am an acquired taste. I'm a typical blonde Orange County suburbanite who says 'like' more than necessary, laughs loud and probably obnoxiously, and loves to dance in the rain. I'm a 23 year old college graduate with more than a few tricks up my sleeve, and I also happen to be a pretty big Ducks fan. Oh, and I'm a writer. Like, for real.

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5 stars
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47 (27%)
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25 (14%)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
Profile Image for Seems.
186 reviews1 follower
January 25, 2025
This was just ok. It felt like something was missing. There was so much emphasis on the one night stand the mc's had, but there was no build up on their current relationship. Most of the book was them fighting and hating each other and not enough on them actually being happy.
Profile Image for L I N D S A Y.
270 reviews44 followers
January 28, 2025
2.5; I wish it would have been one trope or the other in regard to their past, but not both. The plot dragged, and then sped up so much the last 80 pages.
Profile Image for Kara Gouse.
175 reviews
January 31, 2025
for a "dark" romance it was pretty boring. like some light stalking but nothing very exciting, no kidnappings. the hate to love was like real quick not a fan
Profile Image for Nicki Kimball.
1 review
February 22, 2025
Good idea… poor execution

The plot for this book was a good one. I just wish the two authors communicated or read the other’s writing…. Or their own… super confusing. We entered the conference room but somehow were teleported to her office and it continued to go down hill from there. It was a struggle for me to finish.

Please send to an editor… or a an arc reader… or have a friend read it.
Profile Image for Char (1RadReader59).
3,219 reviews19 followers
February 26, 2025
Minka Mathers, owner of the Detroit Serpents hockey team, has asked Paige Adams to be the new assistant general manager. Paige can’t lie; with all the problems of her last job, she cannot believe Minka asked her. So all morning she has been telling herself, “You earned this. You belong here.” Working for the Detroit Serpents was risky. Not because of the demanding hours or high expectations—though those were challenges on their own—but because he played for the team. The he she was worried about is Ryker Kane, the team’s captain, and her ex-boyfriend's older brother.

Ryker hated her because she left his brother at the altar two years ago. When she thought about it, maybe it was stupid to get married during the summer before junior year. But Brendan was going to the NHL, and Paige was afraid to lose Brendan. She did anyway. Because he had been seeing her best friend behind Paige’s back. Then you include Brendan's temper and add in his injury—that's what kept him from the NHL. She’s never felt guilty about the thought. She never cheated on Brendan, nor did Paige ever badmouth him.

However, she wasn't sure what Brendan had told his family, but judging by the daggers Ryker threw at her as he glared, you could say it didn't make her look good. The GM was Gideon Strong; he had stepped in to replace Richard Mathers until Minka graduated. Ryker had issues with everything she had to say. Even bringing up she was too young for her position and may be biting off more than was possible. That her strategies may be too ambitious for her. That's when Minka jumped in, saying she was several years younger than Paige and asking if he thought she was too young to own the team he plays for.

See how Ryker rides her all the time. Even when she is trying to help him. He had no clue about Brendan’s treatment of her. Which might or might not have done any good in the scheme of things. But one important piece of information is Ryker and Paige did at one time have a one-and-done and then acted like he didn't know her. The thing that bothers me is Brendan may have used his hands and mind games against her by f-ing her best friend. But Ryker used his words in deliberately hateful, mean ways to make her pay, supposedly.

However, you can never take those words back. You or they can say, Sorry, but at some point during the relationship, those words will wind their way back to the surface, trying to puzzle it out. Good emotional book, but not one I would read again.
427 reviews3 followers
January 21, 2025
A spinoff starting with a bang!!

I LOVE the Crestwood Elite series by Heather C. Myers and Frankie Cardona so picking up this book – the first book in the spinoff, was a no brainer for me. And it certainly didn’t disappoint. Great writing – a given – this book had it all. Angst, difficult emotional and literal situations that needed careful handling, struggles and two amazing, strong main MCs. You don’t need to have read any of the books in the Crestwood Elite series to dive into this one, but I highly recommend it (just because it’s awesome)!

I really liked Ryker. I felt for him and was thrilled to see him break the self imposing chains he had put around himself, believing that keeping emotion out made him stronger. Paige came as a tornado back in his life. He didn’t want her there – the new assistant GM for the team. She threatened his carefully placed control. Strong, competent, smart, non-nonsense but also caring and loyal. That’s Paige for you. I loved her even more than Ryker and I loved her dedication to the team and to Ryker, even if he didn’t realize it at first. They have a complicated past – a past involving an unforgettable one-night-stand and a jealous, undeserving brother that still wants her back. Ryker is called to reflect back on his beliefs and fight for who he really wants to be – and for the family he really wants. I loved their journey to their HEA and I really liked the path the author chose leading to this – it was more about the emotional journey and the physical one just followed. It suited the story to the T. I also loved hearing of familiar characters from the Crestwood Elite again. Go Serpents!!!

All in all, it was a great read that left my bookworm heart flattering and utterly satisfied. I can’t wait for the next one – I have a feeling that Jared Crowder is in for the ride of his life! 5 well-deserved stars!

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Profile Image for Chloe Miles.
202 reviews
February 10, 2025
Little bit watt-pad-ish lol and overly simple, perhaps not enough build up to make their connection feel believable. And a few typos, as well as pieces of dialogue that didn’t make sense in the convo, as if in editing it wasn’t decided which version of a convo they would have and then forgot to take out the other option once decided.

However, it was just an easy read, and if you can just ignore the problems with it, then it was fun kind of? I mean, actually they didn’t have one proper conversation lmao and didn’t have chemistry, and she didn’t have a personality beyond listing the same strategies over and over lol and he had a screw loose, but I kinda liked that because at least he had personality. So I think the thing I did like, was the tension/anger/passion from him.

Didn’t like that she just stood there and took it and didn’t really ever fight back much, especially when he said those really cold and cruel things to her, and she just didn’t react and then switches to her pov, and she’s just like so yup I want him. I needed some bite from her too, for the sake of chemistry. Because she was too mellow, which meant his heated angry moments just came across childish and erratic because she gave nothing in return and he just kept on doing it 😂

So um, maybe not so good on reflection 😅

mmm give me a hot passionate demanding and angry hate kiss any day though

And it was a fast-paced-no-brain-needed kind of read that I wanted, needing a break from reading a lot of fantasy lately. And I just love hockey.
Profile Image for Kari Tidwell (karisbookstodevour).
1,088 reviews8 followers
January 27, 2025
An absolutely explosive start to a new series! This is a tension filled, enemies to lovers, powder keg of a read where all it takes is a closed door to light the fuse and set off the explosion between Ryker and Paige and it is freaking fabulous! It's revenge, need, desire, hidden truths that change everything, anger, and bitterness with spice that is on point and on fire as the past collides with the present, scandals erupt, and an alphahole hockey captain gets his ego checked and his heart stolen by an assistant GM that is sass, fire, and strength and the one thing he's secretly always wanted.
I'm gonna go ahead and say this is one of Heather Myers best books ever! It starts with intensity and anger, jumps straight to so much sexual tension it's painful, and never lets up. Ryker is the exact kind of alphahole who makes you weak in the knees and runs off with your heart and your panties, gives you whiplash from the hot and cold, and just destroys you when he stakes his claim and starts throwing touch her and die vibes. And Paige, a girl with a backbone, who can own her mistakes, and takes no shit from guys like Ryker, leaving you no choice but to freaking adore her just as much as you adore every second of this will they or won't they, PR disaster of a hockey romance that nails the enemies to lovers trope and has you eating up the screw it moment.
Profile Image for Lenna  Wright.
3,407 reviews35 followers
January 17, 2025
Loved it, meets my expectations and goes above Crestwood but it is a branch off the Crestwood series since Detroit Serpents is owned by Minka Mathers and she's the one whom hires Paige for her team, and takes after Minka's uncle is taken away from the team

Paige Adams was a fresh face freshman in college when she first met Ryker Kane, already in the NHL in his mid 20s. Their one night stayed with them for years, even when his younger brother Brendan got with Paige not to long after their one-night stand. Ryker even acted like he didn't know her, and she didn't know Brendan was Ryker's brother. She dated Brendan for over a year, but he did the wrongs to her and why she ran and left him at the altar. Now 2 years later Paige is the new HR to clean the team's image and Ryker the team's Captain has years of festering bottled up anger and he sees a new target. But will he be in the wrong with what happens to Paige or will their feelings fight to the bitter end???
Profile Image for Merry Jelks-Emmanuel.
13.3k reviews155 followers
January 24, 2025
Paige is out to prove herself and taking on the role of assistant general manager was something she was looking forward to until she comes face to face with her ex's brother. He believes that she was his brother's downfall not knowing the real truth about what really happened between them. With betrayals on both sides, they have erected walls around them. Emotions are running high and having to work close together proves to be explosive. Will they get beyond their backgrounds and let the truth speak for itself for a chance to find happiness. This is the first book of the series, and I can't wait for the next one.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Profile Image for Kristen Lewendon.
8,429 reviews63 followers
January 25, 2025
I feel like I was two completely different people while reading this book, because my attitude towards it changed so significantly from the beginning to the end. Fair warning: I did not like our hero for a lot of the book. I was hard-pressed to even see Ryker as a potential leading man for Paige. But, the authors did an incredible job of showing why he was the cold, calculating jerk he was for so much of the story. Then, the authors did an even better job of peeling his layers away and making me fall for Ryker and believe in a future for him and Paige. It’s official; I’m already a fan of the series and I can’t wait to see what comes next.
I received a complimentary copy of this book through Booksprout.
Profile Image for Audrianna Allen.
130 reviews
January 26, 2025
I loved the Crestwood Elite series, so a spinoff series is an automatic yes read! And it did not disappoint! (It’s not necessary to read the original series, but it is good!)
Paige, our FMC, becomes the new assistant GM for the NHL Serpents and Ryker, the captain remembers all too well their one night stand and the subsequent events there after. The book plays out their emotional roller coaster ride along with the sexual tension between the two to get to their HEA. It is done well and is done as one of the better hockey novels. I highly encouraged Meyer’s books for hockey novels, especially if you like a little bit of dark and emotional tension in your stories.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Profile Image for Kari Hansen.
12.3k reviews92 followers
January 27, 2025
The opportunity join the Detroit Serpents is a dream come true with only one thing to mar her happiness. She shares a past with the captain that not only includes one night together but that she was also previously engaged to his brother and that he is determined to make her job as difficult as possible.

Ryker believes he knows who Paige is and wants her out of his life. The more he tries to antagonize her the more the feelings he has for her deepen and when he realizes that there is a lot he doesn’t know choices will need to be made.

This is a great start to a new series that incorporates some turmoil and a few surprises as Paige and Ryker must overcome the past and everything that happened because of it.
3,174 reviews
January 30, 2025
An intense start to a new dark sports romance series.

An intense start to a new dark sports romance series. Ryker and Paige has a history that was filled with miscommunication and heartbreak. When they find themselves working together it makes for an interesting relationship. But their past will not interfere with their future when they reconnect romantically and find themselves in the news. Will they be able to find their forever this time around? One click to find out in book one of the Detroit Serpents Hockey Romance Series that doesn’t disappoint. I can’t wait for more of this series.
Profile Image for Michelle.
10.7k reviews28 followers
February 1, 2025
Paige is the new assistant general manager for the Detroit Serpents, and Ryker is the team captain. These two have a past because they had one steamy night together and she used to date his brother but steamy sparks are flying between them, and the more time they spend together the hotter they get. Ryker and Paige's roller coaster ride of love twists and turns and had me cheering them on to get their happily ever after. Cold Carnage is book one and a great start to The Detroit Serpents Hockey Romance series. I look forward to reading the rest of the series. I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book.
1,549 reviews14 followers
January 23, 2025
This is a spin-off series from the Crestwood Elite Hockey Academy series, but you don’t need to read the original series to enjoy this book, however it will make it a better experience if you do read that series first.
Again, Heather and Frankie have struck gold, this is a fun, flirty and emotional rollercoaster of a ride. The chemistry between Paige and Ryker is intense and they burn up the scenes 🔥🔥🔥
This is a great story, with a snappy plot that effectively leaves little easter eggs about the Crestwood Elite characters and introduces the new ones.
This is another 5 star read.
8,829 reviews63 followers
January 15, 2025
Paige has more than most to prove when she steps up as GM for the detroit serpents, and coming face to face with her ex fiancé's brother and team captain Ryker is another game entirely. But as they have no choice but to work together, things soon heat up and not just in their professional lives well written engaging steamy push and pull, desires, drama and more.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
2,844 reviews14 followers
January 25, 2025
Ryker has a boulder on his shoulder, not a chip. His lack of confidence in his ability to juggle multiple things at once cost him years of his life he can't replace. He had to watch from a distance while the woman he had feelings for dated and got engaged to his brother! Family means supporting each other not manipulating and undermining your goals. Wake up!.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Profile Image for Sharon McMaster.
308 reviews3 followers
January 26, 2025
This was a first book in a spinoff series and already has me hooked on the series. As always, make sure you check the trigger warnings because these authors do not hold back. You will get drama, angst, twists and all the spice! I liked both of the main characters Paige and Ryker I felt like the story played out the way it should have. I can’t wait to read the next book as I highly recommend!!!!
2,310 reviews
February 3, 2025
When Paige steps into a new job as the Assistant General Manager for the Detroit Serpents, she finds a blast from her past in the form of Ryker, the team’s captain and her ex-boyfriend's older brother. Whether they want to or not they have to find a way to work together. A dark hockey romance with plenty of sizzle and heat.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Profile Image for Nicole Deanne Veracruz.
2,416 reviews15 followers
February 8, 2025
I feel like this book was so different than what I've come to expect from this author. It wasn't dark or really steamy. Ryker hated Paige because of their past one night stand and also because she had a relationship with his brother. Even taking that into consideration the amount of anger that he showed towards her just didn't add up. This book just kind of fell flat for me.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Profile Image for Janine.
1,120 reviews10 followers
February 12, 2025
This was a great swing into the spin off series from the Crestwood series by these authors.

Ryker and Paige had a great setup for enemies-to-lovers, and I thoroughly enjoyed their story...

One of my favourite scenes is the back-to-school charity event, and the clean-up afterwards... :D

And I'm looking forward to seeing where this series goes!.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Profile Image for Debbie Benson.
9,730 reviews35 followers
January 24, 2025
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review. It is a great start to a new series. I liked the emotions and angst in the story as Ryker and Paige deal with the past and accept their love for each other. The past truths come out and I like how both deal with their families finally.
Profile Image for Eve.
417 reviews7 followers
January 25, 2025
Utterly transfixed on this exchanging new series. Ryker and Paige are electric together. The disdain, mistrust misplaced anger and frustration with the palpable undercurrent of unmistakable passion is off the charts.
Read this book is one sitting absolutely blown away by this book.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
2 reviews1 follower
May 3, 2025
I really enjoyed the spice and the characters. The plot was a tad confusing at times, and I felt like I was missing a lot of context within the FMC and MMC’s relationship history. There was also some minor repetition within certain quotes. But outside of that, I had a great time reading this and found myself licking my legs and grinning at certain scenes.
Profile Image for Cynthia.
2,383 reviews8 followers
January 23, 2025
I was so excited to see that this author had released a new book. I love her writing and how the storyline will always keep you hooked. There is always steamy passion, chemistry, and some drama and suspense. This is a definite must-read.
Profile Image for Melanie.
317 reviews2 followers
September 5, 2025
The animosity was tangible. But I really liked Sloane and her direct eye contact, take-no-shit attitude. Ryker was a dick, but he's a dude who doesn't want to own up to his real feelings, so go figure. I enjoyed the read, for sure.
14 reviews
April 12, 2025
Loved it

Great story. Didn't really like how aggressive he got with her sometimes but working through them getting together was a good read.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews

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